GUEST BLOG: Lois Griffiths – JOURNALIST ASSASSINATED
Shireen Abu Akleh, 51-year old American-Palestinian correspondent for Al Jazeera has just been assassinated by skilled IDF snipers stationed on rooftops, in Jenin , Occupied West Bank.
She and a group of other journalists, wearing blue flak jackets and helmets marked as ‘PRESS’, were stationed near an entrance to Jenin refugee camp when they came under fire.
Shireen Abu Akleh was shot in the head, in an exposed area below her ear, killing her instantly. Another Palestinian journalist, Ali Samoudi, was shot in the back. He was treated at a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.
Israeli officials claim to have a video showing that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Palestinian gunfire. But the Jenin field officer for the Israeli human rights NGO B’tselem, by comparing the location depicted in the IDF video with the location where the journalist was shot, was able to say that the IDF was lying.
There has been an outpouring of grief by Palestinians for the loss of this so very highly respected journlist. For over 3 decades she reported from nearly every flashpoint in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem , telling the stories of both Palestinians and Israelis.
Palestinian lawmaker and former prisoner Khalida Jarrar told Al Jazeera, : “Shireen was always my voice from the prison cells…Shireen was our voice. It is unbelievable. It is a crime, it is all clear – intentional and direct targeting. She was targeted. It’s clear.”
Another Palestinian journalist deliberately targeted. Not the first and not the last as long as the Israelis know they have impunity. The Israelis do not want Palestinians to have a voice.
Is there going to be any reaction from American officials or American media or theAmerican public. Shereen was an Anerican citizen.
Any reaction here in New Zealand?
WHERE IS OUR HUMANITY?
Israel is a rogue violent State.
What does it take for people to get ANGRY?
Lois Griffiths is a Human Rights Activist.
“When will the world and those who stand by Apartheid Israel that continues to murder, torture and commit war crimes finally say: “Enough”?” Tlaib wrote on Twitter. “Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered by a government that receives unconditional funding by our country with zero accountability.”
“POTUS, an American journalist clearly marked with press credentials was murdered. Doing and saying nothing just enables more killings. Whether you’re Palestinian, American, or not, being killed with US funding must stop,” she added.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog
“One would expect a member of Congress to support our call for an impartial joint Israeli-Palestinian investigation of this tragic event, rather than rushing to a biased conclusion. Acting as the judge, jury and executioner undermines the causes of justice and peace.”
“Let’s put things context: in the past few weeks, three major deadly terror attacks in the heart of Israel were planned, orchestrated and carried out from Jenin. The IDF went there to thwart another act of terror and was attacked by heavily armed ‘Islamic Jihad’ terrorists,” added Herzog in a second tweet.
Earlier on Wednesday, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price condemned the killing of Abu Aqleh, but without assigning blame.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/327395
Highly unlikely
From Sky: “Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett disputed those accusations, saying the shot could have been fired by a Palestinian and that “there must be a real investigation” into the death. He accuses the Palestinians of “preventing that”.
Israel has a long record of hard out lying though ,,, https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israel-lies-boy-shot-head-fell-bike
“Israel, as a serial and systematic abuser, is once again demonstrating how shameless it is in its attempts to cover up its horrifying mistreatment of Palestinian children and to blame child victims for its own crimes.”
“On 15 December, in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, an Israeli occupation soldier shot Muhammad Fadel Tamimi with a rubber-coated metal bullet at close range, causing devastating head injuries.
Photos of the 15-year-old have circulated around the world showing the effect of having one-third of his skull removed during life-saving surgery”. ….
Mordechai the general who runs COGAT, the bureaucratic arm of Israel’s military occupation, posted on Facebook the boy had not been shot in the head after all, but had merely fallen off his bike.,,,
“human rights group B’Tselem described Mordechai’s claim that the boy merely “fell off his bike” as Orwellian” . ,,,”Haaretz noted that “the version of events described by Mordechai does not coincide [with] eyewitness accounts obtained by Haaretz, ” ,,, ” tweeted copies of a medical report from the hospital that had performed the emergency “bullet removal” surgery from Muhammad Tamimi’s head.” ,,, https://twitter.com/saritm0/status/968396025005248517/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E968396025005248517%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronicintifada.net%2Fblogs%2Fali-abunimah%2Fisrael-lies-boy-shot-head-fell-bike
I find it hard to believe the Israeli claims that she was actually shot by Palestinians. Cui bono? The Palestinians knew she was exposing violence.
Which side had the motive to eliminate her?
Absolutely shocking.
Nations should not be allowed to assassinate anybody (clearly!) and there should be even heavier international penalties for journalists who are targeted.
Reminds me of Jamal Khashoggi, another assassinated journalist. No justice there, either.
The killings will continue while international law and governments allow it.